The Michigan Association of Broadcasters presented the broadcast excellence award to Northern's Public TV 13 for a documentary titled “The U.P. Recalls the War." Accepting the award at the MAB's annual conference March 11 was Luis Gómez, production assistant and NMU graduate student.

Gomez traveled across the Upper Peninsula with producer Sonya Chrisman and videographer Mike Lakenen (WNMU-TV) to interview veterans, historians and others who lived through World War II. They talked about the skiing soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division, the Battle of the Bulge and the success of the submarine wolf pack, the "Darter" and the "Dace," in the Philippines. Residents' memories and personal photographs are weaved with vintage newsreels and film footage to paint a vivid image of victory and loss.

The documentary was inspired by the books The U.P. Goes to War by Larry Chabot and World War II Comes to the U.P.: 1939-1945 by Russell Magnaghi (History). Featured in the program, narrated by Dwight Brady (CAPS), are Magnaghi and Marcus Robyns (Archives). This is Chrisman's sixth documentary for the station. Two previous efforts earned first-place broadcast excellence awards from the MAB and another received an Emmy Award from the
Michigan Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Melinda Stamp (WNMU-TV) created the graphics, Web site and DVD cover art for each video.